Fox’s Maria Bartiromo Presses Trump Treasury Secretary on Trade War: ‘We’re Not Sure Where This Is Going’

Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo pressed President Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary Scott Bessent for “clarity” on the administration’s shifting justifications for its trade war with partnering nations amid shifting justifications.

The Trump administration implemented a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, alongside a number of tariffs on Canada. The tariffs prompted retaliatory measures from Canada in response before Trump announced he would postpone the levies until April 2 for products exempt under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is in effect until that date.

The White House initially justified the measures as a strategy to reduce the trade deficit with Canada and Mexico while pressuring both countries to enhance border security efforts, particularly against illegal immigration and the trafficking of fentanyl analogues.

Bessent appeared to suggest to Bartiromo in a Tuesday interview on Mornings with Maria, ahead of the April 2 deadline, that food safety was another concern and reason behind some tariffs.

The host pressed back, listing out the reasons the administration had already given for tariffs, and emphasizing the need for clarity:

“See, these are the things that people are really worried about, because they first thought it was just about trade. Then they thought it was just about fentanyl. Then, after that we talked about, well, maybe it’s currency manipulation, and maybe it’s… Now, you’re talking about food testing,” submitted Bartiromo. “When I bring up the issue of clarity, that’s what I’m talking about, ask that’s what I’m hearing from corporate America, that we’re not sure where this is going.”

Watch above via Fox Business.